Skulls, butterflies, hunting trophies, ancient Egyptian artifacts, the alleged skeletons of mythological creatures and many other mysterious oddities fill the shelves of cabinets of curiosities. A centuries old tradition that developed in Europe during the Renaissance, the curiosity cabinet is again in fashion. Shops, restaurants and private residences echo these cabinets in their interior design, either by making use of the eclectic vintage objects commonly featured in such collections or by including the fully stocked cabinets themselves. For many, it seems, the smooth surfaces of modern design have lost their allure. An article in the New York Times, titled "the New Antiquarians," describes a current trend in interior design that embraces a "new vintage" look. This style makes use of an eclectic combination of objects: taxidermy, mounted antlers, ancestral portraits, old leather books and cabinets filled with collections. You've seen this style of decor invade restaurants, bars and hotels. It's featured in magazines like GQ and blogs like the "A Continuous Lean." Aligned with this popular trend, Cabinets of Curiosities showcases exceptional collections in homes and museums, with more than 180 photographs, while also explaining the history behind the tradition, the best known cabinets and the types of objects typically displayed. Offering both a historical overview and a look into contemporary interior design, this extravagantly illustrated book celebrates the wonderfully off world of cabinets of curiosities.

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Product description

About the Author

Christine Davenne is a lecturer in fine arts at the IUFM d'Aquitaine and is the author of the book Modernite du cabinet de curiosites. Christine Fleurent photographs regularly for women's magazines, advertising and has contributed to numerous books, including La Cuisine des parfums and La Maison de chocolat.

I didn't get my copy from amazon i got it from the natural history museum in london and its so much cheaper on amazon. But i honesty don't care it is a pleasure to own just a stunning book, and great quality the cover is beautiful and the the whole book in printed on nice thick paper. its is full of big photographs with lots of detail with plenty of text and captions. The main point i like is how it looks at curiosities from the past to the present, from huge vintage collections to modern artists that have be inspired by these items of wonder. It is the best book i have brought for a long time and some friends and family that have had a look even some who have showed no interest it this subject before have got themselves a copy. I recommend this book very highly and for £20 it is a complete steal for what you get if you are on the fence about this book just go for it and you will know what i mean :)

Great book. The pictures are beautiful and cover eccentric subjects. I wanted to read a book about this subject as I am interested in what people find to collect and I have a weak spot for storage. This book did not disappoint.

A visual treat on an obscure but fascinating subject. This book takes the history of the Cabinet of Curiosity as a reflection of the social, intellectual and spiritual tone of the particular age. The language can at times be quite esoteric making it less of a casual read than Alexis Turner's Taxidermy but nonetheless it is packed full of wonderful photos and illustrations throughout and is a great companions piece the aforementioned Taxidermy.

Not what I was expecting. The cover of the book is glorious and beckons, but the text is dull and reads like the author's dissertation I had hoped for a lovely trip into people's curiosity cabinets and interesting stories behind them. What I got was more a text book for study purposes, filled with dates and source references. The inclusion of museum collections is, in my view, cheating. And boring. This is so far from the curious read I was expecting that I am sorry I have parted with my £20. Very disappointed.